Frank Dunlop cannot remember receiving over £1m from developer

Former lobbyist Frank Dunlop has said he cannot remember getting over IR£1 million in payments from a developer in the 1990s.

Mr Dunlop is being cross-examined in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court about his claims of corruption against another businessman and four councillors.

He has testified that he received £25,000 from businessman Jim Kennedy in 1991 to pay councillors to have lands rezoned at Carrickmines in Dublin.

He also testified that he paid a total of £19,000 in bribes to four councillors in exchange for their votes.

Mr Dunlop told the trial he gave Liam Cosgrave, 57, with an address at Blackrock, Co Dublin a total of £7,000 for the two Carrickmines votes.

He said independent councillor (formerly of Fianna Fáil) Tony Fox, 72, of Churchtown, Dublin also got £7,000 for both votes.

Former Fianna Fáil councillor Colm McGrath, 56, of Saggart, Co Dublin received £2,000 for the first vote.

Former Fianna Fáil Senator and then councillor Don Lydon, 74, with an address in Stillorgan, Co Dublin got £3,000 for the first vote.

All four men deny the charges.

Mr Kennedy, 66, with an address at Queens Way, Gibraltar has also pleaded not guilty.

Mr Dunlop was asked about evidence he gave to the Planning Tribunal when he accepted getting up to £1.2m from developer Sean Mulryan between 1999 and 2000 in relation to the rezoning of lands at Baldoyle, Dublin.

Mr Dunlop said he cannot recall getting this money or what he did with it.

He was asked by Michael O'Higgins SC how he can recall getting £25,000 from Mr Kennedy but not £1.2m.

Mr Dunlop said he had a vivid or eidetic memory about some things, but not about others.

He also admitted lying during an RTÉ interview, which was later broadcast on the series Reeling In The Years 1993, when he said he "put a lot of money into" the Baldoyle rezoning.

Mr Dunlop said that interview arose in the "frantic" atmosphere following a council vote where the rezoning was defeated.

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